The Dispatch

Bulgaria makes masks obligatory in public as new COVID-19 cases surge

Bulgaria will make wearing protective masks obligatory in all outdoor spaces from Thursday, as coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours hit a new record, its health minister announced. Kostadin…

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Bosnia’s coronavirus deaths pass 1,000 as cases in Montenegro rise

Deaths from the novel coronavirus in Bosnia passed a fresh threshold above 1,000 with 20 new fatalities reported on Tuesday, as the daily number of cases hit a new record…

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Turkey says ‘miracle’ Black Sea gas field larger than first estimated

A massive gas field off the Turkish coast in the Black Sea contains 85 billion cubic meters more natural gas than originally estimated, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Saturday…

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Turkey defies EU, US and NATO – Greek media

As the European Union sent out another strongly worded statement on Friday regarding Turkey’s infringements in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey continued on its path of defiance to the West with the reported missile…

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U.S. blames Turkey for inflaming situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenian and Azeri forces fought new clashes on Friday, defying hopes of ending nearly three weeks of fighting over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blamed…

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Turkish arms sales to Azerbaijan surged before Nagorno-Karabakh fighting

Turkey's military exports to its ally Azerbaijan have risen six-fold this year, with sales of drones and other military equipment rising to $77 million last month alone before fighting broke…

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Croatia sets daily COVID-19 record, Slovenia moves schools online

Croatia reported 793 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, a daily record, while neighbouring Slovenia introduced new measures to fight its spike in infections. Since the pandemic began, Croatia, with…

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Croatia reports record new daily COVID-19 infections

Croatia's health authorities reported 748 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday, a daily record, with the capital Zagreb also registering a record of 211 new cases. The previous record of 542…

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Turkish survey ship begins operations in east Mediterranean

A Turkish seismic survey ship has reached the location in the eastern Mediterranean where it will operate and was beginning to take readings on Wednesday, Turkey's Energy Minister Fatih Donmez…

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Covid-19 cases in Bulgaria continue increasing

Bulgaria reported 785 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, setting a daily record for a fourth time in a week as infections keep rising, official data showed. The Balkan country now…

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US slams Turkey’s coercion, threats and intimidation in the Mediterranean

The United States on Tuesday slammed Turkey's renewed push to send a vessel to carry out seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean, accusing Ankara of unilaterally stoking tensions and "deliberately"…

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Global fashion brands bearing brunt of informal Saudi blockade of Turkish goods

Global fashion brands are bearing the brunt of rising regional rivalries with Saudi Arabia informally banning all imports of all products which are made in Turkey. The issue was raised…

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Serbs commemorate 1,000 days since killing of Oliver Ivanovic

Hundreds of Serbs in Belgrade lit candles on Monday to mark 1,000 days since the killing of a moderate Kosovo Serb politician in January 2018 and to demand greater efforts…

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Greece, France in strong reaction after Turkey carries out seismic surveys in Mediterranean

Greece and France reacted angrily to a decision by the Turkish Government to send a ship to carry out seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean, prompting Greece to issue a…

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Turkey to conduct seismic survey in eastern Mediterranean

Turkey's navy has issued an advisory late Sunday saying that the Turkish ship Oruc Reis will carry out a seismic survey in the eastern Mediterranean over the next ten days,…

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North Cyprus President to face Prime Minister in runoff

Northern Cyprus's President Mustafa Akinci and Prime Minister Ersin Tatar will go to a run-off in a week's time after each won about 30% support in Sunday's presidential poll, official…

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Turkish Cypriots vote in delayed Presidential elections

Turkish Cypriots are voting for a new president tasked with overcoming their deep political chasms with rival Greek Cypriots. Among the top candidates are current Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and…

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Coronavirus cases in Bulgaria have hit new daily high record

Bulgaria has reported 516 new coronavirus cases of coronavirus - the third day in a row it has beaten its own record since the start of the pandemic in March,…

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Turkish, Greek foreign ministers meet for first time since crisis

The foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece met on Thursday for the first time since a dispute between the two NATO members over energy exploration and maritime jurisdiction in the…

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Bulgaria reports national one-day case record

Bulgaria reported a daily record of 437 coronavirus cases on Thursday, as the country grapples with a rising number of infections, data from the national information platform on the disease…

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Bulgaria registers record high of COVID-19 cases

Bulgaria registered a record high 436 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, data from the national information platform on the disease showed on Wednesday.A total of 22,306 COVID-19 cases…

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Turkey says EU Commission report ‘biased’, reiterates commitment to EU membership

Turkey dismissed a report by the European Commission as “biased, far from constructive”, saying Ankara rejected the criticisms directed at its economy, democracy and courts, and remained committed to the…

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Turkish lira hits weekly low on EU sanctions risk

Turkey's lira hit its weakest in nearly a week on Thursday on concerns over possible sanctions after Bloomberg reported Ankara would soon test its Russia-purchased S-400 missile defences, and as…

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European Commission says that Turkey’s EU membership bid is evaporating

The European Union's executive said on Tuesday that Turkey's government was undermining its economy, eroding democracy and destroying independent courts, leaving Ankara's bid to join the EU further away than…

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Serbian President renews PM Ana Brnabic mandate

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic nominated Prime Minister Ana Brnabic on Monday to remain in office for another term. "Several minutes ago I have signed a nomination for the prime minister,…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Rumeli Castle, Turkey

Rumeli castle and fortress during curfew in Istanbul, Turkey. Rumeli Castle, know in Turkey as Rumeli Hisarı, is an Ottoman fortress dating to 1452, which is currently an open-air museum…

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Indications Turkish drill ship heading back to Turkey from off Cyprus

The Turkish drill ship Yavuz has left the area where it was operating southwest of Cyprus and reached the Turkish coast, Refinitiv Eikon shipping data showed on Monday, in a…

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Erdogan says Turkey aims to boost ties with Libya’s GNA

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday Turkey aims to strengthen relations with Libya's internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) after a meeting with the country's prime minister, who plans…

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UPDATED: Turkey rejects calls for ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh

Turkey rejected “superficial” demands for a ceasefire on Saturday in the South Caucasus, where it backs Azerbaijan, after a week of fierce fighting with ethnic Armenian forces in the breakaway…

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Libya takes centre stage in Italy-Turkey diplomatic talks

Outgoing Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj remains "fundamental" for Libya without a deal on a new institutional architecture in the north African country, Foreign Minister Luigi D i Maio told…

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Doctors group says Turkey ‘hid the truth’ on coronavirus cases

Turkey’s top medical association and the main opposition party criticised a decision by President Tayyip Erdogan’s government to only publicly disclose new coronavirus cases if the patient is showing symptoms.…

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Turkish official says Ankara unswayed over EU sanctions on Eastern Mediterranean

Turkey would be even more determined to protect its territorial rights in the Eastern Mediterranean if the European Union ultimately decides to impose sanctions on it over offshore oil and…

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Turkey to “do what is necessary” to support Azerbaijan

The presidents of France, Russia and the United States called on Thursday for an immediate ceasefire between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenian forces around Nagorno-Karabakh, but Turkey said the three big…

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Greece and Turkey set up ‘hotline’ to defuse dispute – NATO

Greece and Turkey have set up a mechanism to avoid accidental clashes in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, part of efforts to defuse a dispute…

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Cyprus demands sanctions on Turkey as EU summit stalls on Belarus

Cyprus defied pressure to approve European Union sanctions on Belarus at a leaders' summit on Thursday, urging other members of the bloc to also punish Turkey for its oil and…

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Migrants hoping to reach EU stranded in Bosnia

Hundreds of migrants hoping to reach the European Union are sheltering in forests and ruined former factory buildings near Bosnia’s border with Croatia, with the cold setting in and conditions…

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Turkey expects concrete steps from EU summit – foreign minister

Turkey expects concrete steps to be taken at a European Union summit on Oct. 1-2 regarding issues including the updating of a 2016 migrant deal and customs union with the…

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Turkey denies claim that it shot down an Armenian warplane, Putin appeals for ceasefire

The claim by an Armenian official that Turkey shot down an Armenian fighter jet is “absolutely untrue”, Turkey’s communications director Fahrettin Altun said. “Armenia should withdraw from the territories under…

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Greece and Turkey to resume talks after weeks of tensions in East Med

The United States and Greece called on Monday for a peaceful resolution of maritime disputes in the east Mediterranean as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began a two-day trip…

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Erdogan spokesman says Turkey sees EU summit as chance for reset

Turkey sees a European Union summit this week as an opportunity to reset relations between them, but the bloc must produce specific proposals and a timetable to work on a…

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Turkey reserves sea area near Rhodes for live fire naval exercise

Turkey on Saturday issued a navigational telex for a naval exercise with live fire, reserving a sea area between the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo, Greek media reports. The…

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Armenia calls for Turkey’s non-involvement in conflict

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called on the international community on Sunday to ensure that Turkey does not involve itself in Armenia's conflict with Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, trading barbs…

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Bulgaria asks EU to stop ‘fake’ Macedonian identity

A long-simmering historical dispute between two Balkan neighbors is about to enter the corridors of Brussels again as North Macedonia expects an official start to the EU accession negotiation process…

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Turkey, Greece agree to resume talks after four year hiatus

Turkey and Greece have agreed to resume talks over their contested maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean after a four year hiatus following weeks of tensions that culminated in a…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Dalyan River, Turkey

The Dalyan River as local cruise boats carry tourists to Iztuzu Beach, in Dalyan town, in Mugla, Turkey. Dalyan town is situated near of the Dalyan River, where the delta…

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Turkey will keep supporting Libya’s GNA despite Sarraj plan to quit

Turkey's agreements and cooperation with Libya's internationally recognised government will continue despite Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj's desire to quit, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin was quoted as saying on Monday. In…

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Turkey may resume talks with Greece but warns against EU sanctions

Turkey and Greece could soon resume talks over their contested Mediterranean claims but European Union leaders meeting this week will not help if they threaten sanctions, Turkey’s presidential spokesman said…

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Surge in Turkish COVID cases pits doctors against politicians

Resurgent coronavirus cases in Turkey are fuelling tensions between doctors who say the official figures underplay the scale of the outbreak and politicians who accuse the country’s medical association of…

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Malta and Spain to collaborate in easing tensions in East Med

Turkish media gave prominence this morning to a press conference held in Madrid following a meeting between the Maltese and Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministers. During their encounter, the two sides…

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Turkey pulls back survey vessel to allow for diplomacy with Greece – Erdogan

Turkey pulled back its Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel from the eastern Mediterranean to allow for diplomacy with Greece, but this not mean Turkish operations in the region are finished,…

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Erdogan cautions that Turkish drill ship did not end operations in east Mediterranean

President Tayyip Erdogan told German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a video call on Wednesday that the docking of Turkey’s Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel for maintenance does not mean its…

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Turkey’s coronavirus death toll exceeds 7,000

The death toll in Turkey due to the novel coronavirus reached 7,056 on Sunday, rising by 57 people in the last 24 hours, data from the Health Ministry showed. The…

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Turkey does not expect EU sanctions over east Mediterranean dispute

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that Turkey does not expect the European Union to impose sanctions on it over a dispute with Greece over territorial claims in the…

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Turkey says U.S. needs to return to neutral stance on Cyprus

Turkey said early on Monday that the United States needed to return to a neutral stance on Cyprus, after Washington and Nicosia signed a memorandum of understanding to create a…

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Positive first step by Turkey to ease tensions Greece

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday the return of Turkish survey vessel Oruc Reis back to its southern province of Atntalya was a positive first step to ease…

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U.S. ‘deeply concerned’ about Turkey’s action in Easter Mediterranean

The United States remains "deeply concerned" about Turkey's actions in the eastern Mediterranean, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday, urging a diplomatic end to a simmering crisis over…

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Jourova faces criticism on muted response to Bulgaria’s rule of law failings

EU Values and Transparency Commissioner Věra Jourová on Thursday had to defend herself against robust criticism from MEPs who pressed Brussels to account for its muted response to Bulgaria’s rule of…

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